BubbleStream

Lisa Reinicke

Football Flyboy: First Lt. Bill Cannon, Piloting More than His Own Aircraft

Synopsis

Does a good man’s life end at his death?
The answer for daughter Lisa Reinicke was, “No.” Her father was known by many names: Buster, Bill, Billy, Dad, and the Football Flyboy. His deeds, no matter how small, should be passed down to family, friends, and anyone looking for inspiration, and life-lessons from one who worked, lived and part of the Greatest Generation. The Football Flyboy was young, newlywed and a pilot in WWII. He was a good man.
One weekend morning, she determined that his spirit should not stay silent just because his mouth could no longer speak words. “I open my dad’s old air force footlocker - still solid, battleship grey, weathered, and a little rough from travel and age. His name is in white lettering on the front: First Lt William R Cannon.”
What she discovered were yellowed envelopes bound in twine - hundreds of them - that her father had written to her mother. Letters written daily during the last year of WWII and received by his bride. Her daily letters disappeared - only three times during the year, did the “mailman” catch up with him and teased with just a few of the hundreds.
“Before reaching inside, there was a feeling of the hands of time grabbing onto my heart, knowing that this was such a huge part of not only his life but my mom’s as well.”
Meet Bill “Buster” Cannon, the Football Flyboy … a good man with a good life who made a difference.

Author Biography

Lisa Reinicke is the majority holder of Our House Publications and author of 4 published children’s picture books for sale on Amazon and independent book stores. Lisa was honored with the Mom's Choice Gold Award for lifetime literary excellence for her children's book "Wings and Feet in 2017. She is a storyteller and author of 35 children’s stories appearing on local TV shows, elementary schools, and bookstores. The stories have been published in 3 collective recordings for distribution for A Goodnight Sleep Company. She also produced online (virtual) training for service advisors and technicians. Lisa served as head writer and on-camera talent in the videos. Her books are entertaining yet focus on social issues that engage children and parents to discuss. Her four children were all uniquely different ranging from physical differences, adoption, and physiological disorders that lead her following experts in each field to help children overcome the stigma around being different.
Lisa passionately works raising money for charities that improve children’s lives physically, emotionally, and spiritually.

Author Insight

Male Watching

Male Watchers Day
Monday Jan 8th
Yes there is such a day as male watchers day. To some it means watching men and seeing all those muscles and yelling, “woohooo.” That is a fun way to celebrate today!
However it made me start thinking that there is more to male watching than meets the eye. Beauty is only skin deep, right?
The news is full of men that are not worth watching no matter how good the look on the outside because on the inside they have “stinking thinking.”
So let’s look hard today while we are watching to see through the exterior.
Men full of compassion- who can laugh and cry.
Men who do the right thing- even when it is hard.
Men who use self control- don’t put themselves in positions that could cause them to stray from honor.
Men who are kind but honest- speak the truth in kindness.
Men who are strong in faith- that can stand up when we can’t.
Men who will not leave their families standing alone-they will fight to hold them together.
These are the qualities that they may not be born with but develop as they grow.
Watch for my new book coming in March, “Football Flyboy.” A good man will grow out of a man with a cocky flyboy attitude.

Book Excerpt

Football Flyboy: First Lt. Bill Cannon, Piloting More than His Own Aircraft

A good man will open up and be honest about his feelings. Dad was so venerable in this letter. He opened his gut and spilled out the pain of having to leave his new bride standing there. He worried because he did not know if his wife got home OK or not.

Dad wasn’t ashamed that he was going to cry himself to sleep. He wanted Mom to know it was hurting him as much as it was hurting her that they were going to be apart for so long. I never saw my dad cry. He saved that as a private revelation with my mom.